Wheel



E. L. RIETZ 2,332,754

WHEEL Filed June 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 26, 1943 Ric, i nt i n a 1nternational Harvester company, a corporation,

,of New Jersey Application juneis, 1941, serial No. 398,263 I ,2 c aims. (o1. ta -tat) This invention relatesto awheel, and more particularly to a rubber-tired wheel of the type known as a furrow or panwheel fora plow.

As i well knownto those skilled in the art-, the

furrow or pan wheel-on a plow, or other implement adapted to form a furrow, consist of a wheel whichsuppo'rt's th'e'rea'r end of the plow and which is mounted for rotation on an axis inclined to the horizontal, this axis in most instances being approximately 27 degrees to the horizontal. The function of the ordinary furrow or pan wheel is to follow the furrow and thus to guide the rear end or the plow in the furrow. It is an important function of such a wheel to maintain a uniform working depth of the plow. The wheel cannot function properly'in this'jrespect if it does not follow the'furrow closely. Among the reasons why furrow wheels donot perform properly is the tendency eta metal-tired Wheel to pickup soil from the fu'rrow, which soil gradually accumulates and forms clods or lumps on the wheel rim. These clods when packed on the rim cause the wheel to oscillate and at times to leave the furrow entirely; 7 The principal object 'cf the present invention isto provide an improved furrow or pan wheel eliminating the diificulties referred toabove, this object being accomplished in one specific forin of the invention by the provision of a solidrubher tire which is flexible enoughto be self-cleaning tothe extent that loose particles of soil will not cling to theflexible tread. I I An important object of the invention is to vprovide a rubber-tired wheel having an annular ridge adapted to press into and follow thecorner of the furrow. I 1

Another important object is to provide a ,tire having annular tread surfacesinclined withrespect to the rotating axisof the wheel and related to each other at an angle of approximately 90 degreesywhereby there areprovided two tread surfaces, one of which rides the bottom of the furrow and the other of which engages the side wall of the furrow. Another object is to on i the wheel so that when one tread surface becomes worn the time may be reversed to present alie the tire reversible the better tread surface under thos conditions which exact the most wear from the tire.

And, another object isto provide a tir which. is readily movable on and demoun'table from the wheel. g

These and o'thehimportant and -desirable oh- -iects 0f the invention "may he niore iully understood from the followingflescriptiontaken incontion with the accompanying sheets or drawinesi-in-whichz I Figure "1 is an elevational view of on form of wheel construction; i V I Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view showing the Wheel ina rurrow; I I

Figure 3 isan-elevational view of a modified form or co'nstructioni Figure "4 is a sectional view of the Wheel shown in Figure 3; I I r Figure 5 is an enlarge view illustrating the relation between the tire and wheel and the mode of assembling the two; and,- I 1 Figure 6 is an enlarged, diagrammatic view showing'the constructional features of the tire im I Y Inthewhee1 construction illustrated in Figures --1 and 2, the wheel is shown as comprising a central wheel body In havihga hub II journaled on an axle I2 formihgpart of the rear support of a plow or the like, nots'hown; The rotating axis of the Wheel is ihclinedwith respect to the horizontal, theangle of inclination being shown as approximately 27 degrees to the ground line. The wheel body Ill includes an integral rim I3 which is generally triangular in cross-section to provide a pair of outer annular surfaces I4 and I5. Each of these surfaces is inclined axially outwardly and radially inwardly of the median plane of the wheel, the surfaces meeting to provide a peripheral ridge orfcorner IBonthe rim I3. The particular shape or theirim I3 is shown in Figure 6, wherein the line represents th median plane of the wheel I0;.. The angle between the surface I5 and the line is represented by the letter h; and the angle between the line X--'-X and the surface I4 is indicated by the letter g. It will be seen that the angle g is substantially :greater than the angle h. According to the particular rim construction illustrated, there is provided at each side of the rim a pair of annular shoulders I"! and-I 8; these shoulders being formed 'by an undercutting of the Wheel body Ill.

The diameter of the annular shoulder I! is slightly grea'terthanthe diameter of the shoulder it.

A further characteristic of the surfaces I4 and I5 is illustrated in Figured wherein the line W-W'representstlierotating axis of the wheel I0. As illustrated in-that figure, lines have been extended from the diametrically opposite points on. the surfaces I5 to :intersect the axis W W. Each of these lines forms with the axis an angle a; It will be seen that the angles a are 'equ-al.-- Line's extended from the surfaces I4 to intersect the axis W=-W also. form equal angles tire comprises an annular tire bodyformed hol-.

low at its"inn" r'periphery" and shaped to conform to the rim" l3. To'this end, the tire is'shown as having a first inner annular inclined surface and a second inner inclined surface 2|. As shown in Figure 5, opposite sides of the tire l9 are sym: metrical as contrasted with opposite sides of the wheel I0, which are asymmetrical. The tire illustrated in Figure 5 is characterizedby the equal inclination of the surfaces 20 and 2| with respect to the axis of the tire before the tire is mounted on the wheel. For the purposes of illustration, the

tire axis in Figure 5 is indicated as a line YY.'

Lines extended from the surfaces 20 to intersect the line Y-Y form with that line a pairof 'equal angles d. Lines extended from the surfaces 2| to intersect the line YY form with that line a pair of angles b. These latter angles are equal to each other, and to the angles d. In Figures 5 and 6, the line 2-2 represents the median plane of the tire I!) before installation of the tire on the rim l3. Another characteristic of the tire is that its surfaces 20 and 21 are bisected by the median plane Z-Z, so that the angle between each surface and the median plane is the same. These angles are represented in Figure 6 by the letters e and f. It will be apparent from an examination of Figure 6 that the total angle between thesurfaces 14 and I5 of the rim I3 is equal to the total angle between the surfaces 20 and 2| of the tire I9. In other words, angle .9 lus angle h equals angle e plus angle f. As has been previously mentioned, these angles are differently related to the median plane of the wheel and to the median plane of the tire before installation of the tire on the rim. The importance of these characteristics will be brought out below.

As shown in Figure 2, the tire I9 is provided with a pair of outer tread surfaces 22 and 23, these surfaces being inclined axially outwardly and radially inwardly from a plane substantially coincident with the median plane of the wheel. As shown in Figure 5, the treadsurfaces 22 and 23 form exactly a right angle bisected by the median plane Z-Z of the tire. As shown in Figure 2, the relation between the surfaces 22 and 23 remains the same, but the relation..-of. these surfaces to the median plane of the tire is altered because of the distortion of the tire when the tire is mounted on the rim. According to the present invention this .distortion .is taken advantage of to aid in keeping the tire on the rim. Adjacent the surface 20 of the tire, the tire is provided with an annular portion 24 which is hook-shaped in cross-section, this annular portion providing inside the tire an annular groove 23. The portion '24 hooksover the inner side of the shoulder H, the edge of the shoulder fitting into the groove 25.' The other side of the tire is similarly provided with an annular portion, indicated at 26, which provides a groove 21 for cooperation with the shoulder ill of the rim for holding the tire on the rim. In view of the fact that 'the daimeter of the shoulder I8 is slightly less than the diameter of the shoulder H, the tire, with its annular portions 24 and 26 being equalto each other but greater than the diameter of the shoulder I8 and less than the diameter of the shoulder IT on the rim I3, is twisted upon being mounted on the rim thus causing both flanges 24 and 26 to be stretched. The body portion of the tire is literally twisted about a circle running through the tire body. The portions 24 and 26 hook over the shoulders I! and I8 and, together with the resiliency of the tire, combine to provide desirable means for holding the tire on the rim.

Since the tire is formed with its opposite sidessymmetrical", it will be clear'that the tire can be reversed on the wheel III. This reversibility enables the tire to be installed on the wheel in alternate positions, thereby providing means for equalizin the wear on the tread surfaces 22 and As shown'lin'fligure 2, the wheel assembly is adapted to operate in a furrow. A furrow is indicated. generally at F and has a bottom surface B, and aside wall S. During operational. the wheel through the furrow, the tread surface 22 of .the tire l9 ridesthe bottom wall B and the tread surface 23 engages the side wall S. Theanglebe: tween the surfaces 22- and 23 is,.as has been previously stated, 9Q degrees, which'corresponds exact ly with the angle between-thewalls B and S of the furrow. The tread surfaces 22 and 23 intersect to provide a comparatively :sharp, peripheral ridge about the tire, whichridge serves to press directly.

into the corner of the furrow as it takes theside thrust of the plow. As will be seen from the drawings, the tire body I9 is comparatively thicker in a radial direction generally parallelling the median plane ofthe tire, thus insuring a rigid portion on the tire which is adapted to follow the corner of ,the furrow. Since the tire is flexible, it is self- .cleaning and will not accumulatelo se Particles of soil in the furrow. r r Y The modified form of construction shown in Figures 3 and 4- is-generally;similar-to that just described, but includes in addition means for clamping-thetire to therlm. I In Figures 3 and 4 is shown a wheel 30having a rim 3| provided with opposite shoulders 32 and 33. These shoulders correspond with theshoulders l1 and I3 in the wheel. shown in Figure 2,-but :differ therefrom in that each is provided with an internal annular groove 34. A tire '35, generally similar to the tire I9,-is fitted over the rim 3| and-has a pair of annular portions 36 respectively fitting the shoulders 32 andextending'axially inwardly of the wheel to overlie thegrooves 34. A snapring 31, formed preferably of spring metal, is disposed within the-inner periphery of the portion 36 in radial alinement with the grooves 34 This ring expandsand forces partzof the portion 36 into the groove 34. A second ring 38 sirl'lilar to the ring 31, is installed in a like manner at the other side ofthe wheel; These rings serve 'as additional means for securing the tire to the that numerous modifications and alterations may; be made therein without departing from thespir it-and scope of the invention as defined in-the ap en e laims,

What is claimed is: v

1. A rubber-tired wheel assembly comprising a wheel body having opposite faces and an annular rim provided with a pair of angularly related peripheral surfaces, each surface inclining radially inwardly and axially outwardly from v the median plane of the wheel body, one surface forming with respect to said median plane an angle greater than the angle between the median plane and the other surface, and a rubber tire carried by the wheel rim, said tire having an annular internal hollow portion provided with a pair of angularly related inner peripheral surfaces equally angled with respect to the median plane of the tire before mounting thereof on the rim and containing between them an angle substantially equal to the total angle between the wheel rim surfaces, said tire being distortable upon mounting thereof on the rim so that the said tire surfaces substantially conform to the aforesaid rim surfaces, and portions on the tire for gripping the Wheel to hold the tire on the wheel.

2. A rubber-tired wheel assembly comprising a wheel body having a rim provided with an annular surface inclined to the wheel axis and with a pair of axially spaced, annular shoulders with the surface therebetween, and a flexible tire provided with an annular body including a pair of axially spaced, inner annular grooves adapted respectively to engage the rim shoulders, and an inner annular surface between the grooves and inclined to the tire axis and adapted to engage the rim surface, the angle between the tire axis and the inclined surface of the tire before mounting of the tire on the rim and the angle between the wheel axis and the inclined surface of the tire being'unequal, the tire body being distortable upon mounting thereof on the rim to conform to the surfaces and to engage the shoulders with the grooves.

EDWARD L. RIETZ. 

